Billiard-table



(No Model.)

M. BBNSINGER.

BILLIARD TABLE. l

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE,

MOSES BENSINGER, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

BlLLlARD-TABLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent- No. 256,114, dated April 11,1882.

- YApplication filed February 13, 1882. (No model.)

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, MOSES BENSINGER, of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Billiard-Tables; and IY do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had t0 the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

The nature of my invention relates tot-he construction of billiard-tables, and is an improvement on the devices described in Letters Patentof the United States, No. 167,540, which were granted toClemens Joergens September 7, 1875. y

The object of my invention is to increase the strength and durabilty of billiard-tables, to simplify their construction and thereby to reduce their cost ofmanufacture, and at the same time to facilitate their quickly taking apart and setting up again, and all of that without impairing the ornamental appearance of the same.

My invention consists in certain details of' construction, as I shall hereinafter describe, and designate in the claims.

In the accompanying'drawings, Figurel represents a perspective view of my improved billiard-table turned upside down and having two of its legs removed. Fig. 2 is a transverse section through the center of the same. Figs'. 3 and 4 represent top vand bottom views; Fig. 5, a sectional vertical view of the central portions of the table-base, and Figs. 6 and 7 a bottom view and longitudinal section of the central foot-piece.

A Aare the exterior side and end rails, and B B are the central longitudinal cross-beams, framed together in the usual manner for supporting the slabs C, which compose the table. In the corners formed by the side and end rails A A, I frame triangular blocks 1D in such a manner that the grain of the wood runs diagonally-from side rail to end rail at an angle of about forty-five degrees, so as to rigidly brace said frame and to provide strong bearing-faces for the table to rest upon on its base.

The cushion-frame is composed of four rails, E, which are shaped and secured to the table in the usual manner, with the exception that instead of uniting the same in the corners by miterjoints, as heretofore has been the practice, I frame the ends of said rails into cornerpendants e. The advantage of this is that such double joints will not be so easily affected by climatic influences as a miter-joint, and their opening apart will not be so readily ob.- served,vwhile at the same time such pendants will contribute to the general finish and ornamentation ofthe table. l The base of the table I construct entirely ol iron and compose it of sections of limited weight, put together in such a manner that it can be easily taken apart to bev moved, and yet is substantial and pleasing in design. This base consists of four curved-legs, F, each having a lateral brace-extension, f, which, under the center of the table, lare secured to a frame, G, forming a section of the central supportingcolumn. Each leg Fis shaped to represent the image of the fore part of-a lion, the heads of which face with the corners of the table and carry each a conchiform bracket to form the bearing-support for the corner-blocks D of the billiard-table and to be held in position each by a dowel-pin, while the bodies of the lion-images form the braces j', which are secured to the four sides of a rliombus-shaped frame, G, by tenons g, projecting from the top edges of the braces f and placed into mortises provided in the top edge of frame G, in which they are secured each by a wedge, 7L, and by bolts H,

passed through holes in the bottom iianges of frame, G, the tenons g and wedges h act as clamps while the holes for bolts H are being drilled 0r reamed out, which bolts will have to bear the stress after the table is mounted, when the tenons will act as 'mere stays for holding the joining faces in line with each other. Therefore a modification in the construction, as shown in Fig. 3, would accomplish the same object, in which the upper edge of the end of each legbrace f has aprojecting dovetail lug, i, to enter a correspondingly-shaped groove in frame G.

To the top face of central frame, G, is fitted a cap-piece, L, forming the base for a vertical cone, which connects with the central beams, B, of the table-frame at their junction, and has IOO a dowelpin, Z, to its upper end for entering said beams and holding said column in position therewith.

The snpporting-tbot M, Figs. 6 and 7, consists ota hub with cross-top Wings, the ends of which are fitted into notches n of the central frame, G, while ils hub islbored and tapped for a set-screw, m, having an annular broad head, which forms the supporting-Mot, and is provided with holes f'or inserting a spike or'rod by which to turn said bolt for vertical adjustment ot the central portion ofthe billiard-table. As will be noticed, this thus composed central column, consisting; of the pieces G, L, and M, not only assists in laterally bracing the four legs F, but it also forms a iiflh foot or prop for thecenter of the table, by which said billiardtable is prevented from sagging` in its middle, and can be adjusted to be perfectly level, while at'the same time it adds to the beauty ot' the table and gives to it an extra elegant inish.

That I claim as my invention is 1. The base for a billiard-table, consisting of four legs, F, each having a lateral brace, f, Which braces connect with a central column composed of sections G, L, and M, the whole cured to the central frame, G, by tenons g, with v wed ges h, and by bolts H, substantially as and in the manner set forth.

4. The base for a billiard-table, composed ot' 4o thelegs F, having extensionsf, secured to frame G by means of tenons g, with Wedges h, and by bolts H, in combination with the cap L, having dowel l and -foot M, having set-screw m, the Whole ot' which to be constructed and arranged substantially in the manner set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention, I-attix my signature in presence ot' two witnesses.

MOSES BENSINGER.

Witnesses:

F. W. KASEHAGEN, c F. U. ADAMs. 

